KEY POINTS
- Novak Djokovic has arrived in Australia and will play in the Adelaide International on Sunday.
- It comes one year after he was deported for being unvaccinated.
- The Australian Open takes place in Melbourne in January 2023.
Novak Djokovic has returned to Australia, nearly a year after he was deported over his vaccination status.
The world number five arrived in Adelaide earlier this week, after the federal government granted him a visa last month.
He told reporters that while he can't ever forget the events that transpired 12 months ago, he feels "great" in Australia.
"Obviously what happened 12 months ago was not easy for me, for my family, or to anybody who's close to me, and it's obviously disappointing to leave the country like that," he said.
The 35-year-old was deported on the eve of this year's tournament in Melbourne after he arrived in the country without being vaccinated against COVID-19.
Novak Djokovic during a practice session on Thursday ahead of the Adelaide International Tennis tournament. Source: AP / Kelly Barnes/
"It was, as I said, something that I've never experienced before and hopefully never again. But it is a valuable life experience for me and something that, as I said, will stay there, but I have to move on.
"I always felt great in Australia. I've played my best tennis here, and received a lot of support, so hopefully I can have another great summer."
In January, Djokovic was temporarily detained in Melbourne's Park Hotel, which brought attention to the conditions of asylum seekers locked in the same facility.
Some asylum seekers who were detained there they had been kept in onshore and offshore facilities for years and weren't allowed to go outside.
In November, the Australian government granted Djokovic a visa to travel to the Grand Slam event, saying it had decided to revoke the decision to cancel his visa after considering all relevant factors.
Since January 2022, all COVID-related border restrictions have been removed in Australia, including the requirement to provide evidence of vaccination status to enter the country.
Djokovic is due to play in the Adelaide International beginning on Sunday.
Djokovic was held in immigration detention and then deported from Melbourne in January 2022. Source: AAP / James Ross
"I have a great deal of confidence in the Australian public," Mr Tiley said.
"We're a very well-educated sporting public, particularly those who come to the tennis, they love their tennis, they love seeing greatness, they love seeing great athleticism, great matches.
"And I have a lot of confidence that the fans will react like we hope they would react and have respect for that."
The 2023 Australian Open takes place at Melbourne Park from 16-29 January.
The 35-year-old is still unable to compete in the US because of his vaccination status.
